Railway house car



4lwll'trl'l 18, 1941. F, DXTCHFIELD i 2,235,449

RAILWAY HOUSE CAR Filed oct. 7.1937 4 sheets-sheet 1" March 18, 1941. F. :nucl-FIELD` 2,235,449

RAILWAY HOUSE CAR Filed oct. '7. 1937 4 sheets-sheet 2 RAILWAY HOUSE CAR Filed OCT.. 7, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 E 2 Il 3 2 a al /26 f 3l 9TDI.

March 18,` 1941. F. DrrcHr-'IELD y RAILWAY HOUSE CAR Filed oct. 7, 1937 4 sheets-sheet 4 Patented Mar. 18, 1941 UNITED STATES SEARCH R09?! PATENT OFFICE RAILWAY HOUSE CAR Application October 7,

15 Claims.

This invention relates to railway house cars and is directed more particularly to metallic side wall structures capable of being utilized in the construction of new cars and in the conversion of railway rolling stock to metallic railway house cars.

It is an object of this invention to provide a metallic side wall structure for railway house cars embodying top and bottom longitudinal members, connecting posts and metallic sheathing characterized by the fact that a bottom longitudinal member of substantially the same width may be utilized irrespective of variations in width of underframe, longitudinal spacing of cross members and inside Width of car.

A further object is to provide a metal sheathed house car which may be converted from and utilize the metallic underframe and metallic ends of a'wooden sheathed house car and which shall include side walls having upper and lower longitudinal metallic members extending substantially from end to end of the car. connecting posts and metallic sheathing wherein the bottom longitudinal member shall be spaced from the car underframe and yet function as a stress carrying and underframe reinforcing member so that said side walls serve as load carrying girders capable of relieving the underframe between bolsters of stress.

It is an object of this invention to provide a metallic side wall structure for railway house cars embodying top and bottom longitudinal members, connecting posts and metallic sheathing wherein the bottom longitudinal member shall be a stress carrying member and be formed of a rolled structural member regardless of the inside width of the car.

A further object is to provide a metallic stress carrying side wall structure for railway cars embodying top and bottom longitudinal members, connecting posts and metallic sheathing in which said side wall structure shall be a standard regardless of variations in width of underframe, longitudinal spacing of cross members and inside width of car.

A further object is to provide a metallic stress carrying side wall structure for railway cars embodying top and bottom longitudinal members, connecting posts and metallic sheathing wherein the posts shall be equi-distantly spaced and the sheathing formed of a plurality of panels of the same width.

A further object is to provide a car side Wall 1937, Serial No. 167,739

(Cl. 10S-409) unit which shall incorporate means for attachment of a door supporting track.

A further object is to provide a metallic side wall structure for railway house cars including metallic posts in which means is utilized to secure the upper ends of the posts to a longitudinal framing member, such means providing a rigid connection between the posts and said framing member.

A further object is to provide a metallic side wall structure for railway house cars including metallic posts and employing means for the direct attachment of the upper ends of the posts to a longitudinal framing member, the attaching means being so related to said framing member as to substantially eliminate eccentric stresses upon the framing member.

Other objects of the invention will become clear as the description thereof proceeds.

In the drawings forming part of this specification:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a portion of a metallic side wall structure for railway house cars including a portion of a door opening formed in the structure.

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken on line 2 2 of Figure 1, parts being broken away so as to permit the showing to be made on an enlarged scale.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 taken on line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 4 4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 5 5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on line 6 6 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on line 1 1 of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a similar section taken on line 8 8 of Figure 1.

Figure 9 is an enlarg :d horizontal section taken on line 9 9 of Figure 1.

Figure 10 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on line IU-IU of Figure 1, corresponding to the plane of the underside of the web of the Z-bar side plate.

Figure 11 is an enlarged elevational detail of the connection between the door post and the side plate looking from the inside of the car.

Figure 12 is a similar detail showing the connection between an intermediate post and the side plate looking from the inside of the car.

Figure 13 is an enlarged elevational detail of the connection between a door post and the bottom longitudinal member and the attachment of the bottom longitudinal member to the side sill of the Hcar underframe.

Fgm'e 14 is an enlarged elevational detail showing the connection between the lower end of an intermediate post and the bottom longitudinal member.

Referring to the drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated, the side wall structure of the invention is shown secured to a railway house car underframe which may be a new underframe or the existing underframe of a car to be converted into a metal sheathed car. The underframe illustrated embodies in addition to the center sill and end sills, not shown, cross members I 0 and holsters one of which is illustrated at II. The illustrated underframe includes as well a channel shaped side sill I2 arranged with its flanges I3 and I4 extending inwardly and embracing the ends of the cross bearers and bolsters as illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings.

The metallic side wall structure embodying the instant invention comprises an upper longitudinal side plate I5 which extends substantially from end to end of the car. The portion of the side wall structure illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings represents approximately onehalf of the entire side wall. The half not shown is similar in construction to the half of the side Wall illustrated. The side wall structure on the other side of the car will be substantially the same as that illustrated and referred to above. The side plate I5 is preferably in the form of a structural Z arranged with its web I6 substantially horizontal, a iiange I1 disposed inwardly and extending upwardly and a flange I8lying outwardly and extending downwardly of the web. The side plate I5 constitutes the upper longitudinal member of the side wall structure.

The side wall includes a bottom longitudinal member which extends substantially from end to end of the wall. This member is preferably Z shaped in section and by reason of the invention may be formed of a structural Z as indicated at I9. The bottom longitudinal Z-shaped member is arranged so that its web 20 is substantially horizontal, the inner vertical ange 2| extending downwardly and the outer vertical flange 22 extending upwardly. The side wall structure is completed by metallic door posts and intermediate posts 23 and 21|y extending between and rigidly fastened to the side plate and bottom longitudinal member and metallic sheathing. The door posts are Z-shaped in section, the web 25 being disposed in parallel relationship with the side wall and the inwardly and outwardly extending flanges 26 and 21 lying at right angles to the wall. The intermediate door posts 24 are also Z-shaped in section but are arranged so that their webs 28 are at right angles to the wall while the inner and outer anges 29 and 30 are parallel thereto.

As clearly appears from Figure 1 of the drawings, the door and intermediate posts are equidistantly spaced from the door post to the end of the wall.

In order to rigidly fasten the lower end of a door post to the bottom longitudinal member I9 a bracket 3| is provided which comprises a base flange 32 carrying spaced upwardly projecting attaching iianges 33 and 34. 'Ihe base flange 32 is rigidly secured as by rivets 35 to the web 20 of the bottom longitudinal member. Additional securernent between the bracket 3| and the bottom longitudinal member is obtained by a vertical flange 36 extending downwardly from the base ange 32 and attached to the inner downwardly extending flange 2| of the bottom longitudinal member as by rivets. The attachment of the bracket 3| to the door post 23 is effected by the spaced upstanding attaching iianges 33 and 34, which as illustrated in Figures 6 and 13 of the drawingsy lie on opposite sides of the inwardly extending flange of the door post being riveted to said ange as by rivets 31.

The upper end of each door post is rigidly secured to the side plate I5 by a bracket 38. This bracket comprises a vertical ange 39 secured as by rivets 40 to the upstanding vertical flange I1 of the side plate. A ange 4| extending outwardly from the flange 39 underlies the web I6 of the side plate. Depending from the latter bracket flange are spaced post attaching anges 42 and 43 disposed upon opposite sides of the flange 26 of the door post and secured thereto as by rivets 44 in double shear.

Depending also from the outwardly extending flange of the bracket are the vertical oppositely directed flanges 45 and 46 arranged parallel to the outer downwardly extending flange I8 of the side plate and fastened to the latter as by rivets 41 and 48.

From the foregoing. it will be seen that the door posts are rigidly secured to the top and bottom longitudinal members of the side wall structure and that the rivets by which such securement is obtained are in the main so arranged as to act in shear when load is transmitted to the door post. Moreover, the connection between the upper end of the door post and the side plate is such as to virtually eliminate eccentric stresses between the door post and the side plate.

Similarly rigid securement between each of the intermediate posts and the top and bottom longitudinal members is obtained by the invention. The lower end of each intermediate post is secured to the bottom longitudinal member I9 by a bracket 49 provided with a base flange 5U secured to the web 20 of the bottom longitudinal member as by a rivet 5I, an upstanding post attaching ange 52 secured to the web 28 of the intermediate post as by a rivet 53 and a post attaching ange 54 disposed at right angles to the ange 52 and fastened to the inner flange 30 of the post as by a rivet 55. The attaching bracket 49 is formed additionally with a downwardly extending liange 55 attached as by rivets 51 to the downwardly extending ange 2I of the bottom longitudinal member. The bracket 49 carries an inwardly extending shelf 58 reinforced by ribs 59 and providing a support at the intermediate post for :the floor 60.

The upper end of each of the intermediate posts 24 is secured to the side plate by a bracket which is identical with the connecting bracket 38 utilized for the attachment of the upper end of each of the door posts to the side plate. In the case of the intermediate post attachment to the side plate, however, the post attaching iianges 42 and 43 of the bracket 38 are disposed on opposite sides of the web 28. The relationship of the bracket 38 to the side plate is the same in all other respects as in the securement of the door posts to the side plate. As noted in connection with the door post securement to the top and bottom longitudinal members rigid connections are provided by the attaching brackets IUU.

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between each intermediate post and these members. The rivets utilized in the attachment are essengally in shear and as in the case of the door-posts eccentric stresses between the intermediate posts and the side plate are virtually eliminated.

The metallic sheathing of the side wall structure is formed of a plurality of metalic panels 6| each of which extends between and is secured to two adjacent posts. At the intermediate posts the sheathing is overlapped as clearly appears from Figure 8 of the drawings. Each of the panels 6I is of the same width and is fastened to the side plate and bottom longitudinal member thereby completing a side Wall structure which functions as a stress carrying girder capable of relieving the underframe of the car between the bolsters of stress.

'I'he side wall structure incorporates means providing for the attachment of a door supporting track. In the disclosed embodiment of the invention this means is in the form of bracket members 62. These bracket members are arranged With the flange 63 horizontal and riveted to the underside of the web 20 of the bottom longitudinal member as by rivets 64. The flange 65 of the bracket members is vertical and is adapted to have fastened thereto as by rivets 66 track brackets 61 to which the horizontal leg 68 of the angle track 69 is secured as clearly shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. Each bracket member is formed additionally with a vertical flange 65 secured to the vertical flange 2l of the bottom member I9 as clearly appears in Figure 3 of the drawings. Each bracket member is reinforced by a vertical rib 65".

For the attachment of the side wall structure to a car underframe the attaching brackets 10 are utilized. Each of these brackets comprises a vertical attaching flange 1| adapted for securement to the car underframe. From the attaching fiange 1l spaced flanges 12 and 13 extend rst horizontally as indicated at 14 and 15 and then vertically as-indicated at 16 and 11 to the bottom longitudinal member I9. The horizontal and vertical flanges are connected and reinforced by means of a web 18 disposed substantially centrally of the horizontal and vertical flanges. The vertical flanges 16 and 11 lie outwardly of the downwardly extending flange 2| of the bottom longitudinal member the flange 16 being riveted to said ange 2l as indicated at 19. The vertical anges 16 and 11 are conected by means of a horizontal flange riveted to the web of the bottom longitudinal member as indicated at 8l.

As shown in Figures 1 and 13 of the drawings, it is preferred to secure the bracket 10 at the door post to the bracket which fastens the lower end of the door post to the -bottom longitudinal member. This securement is preferably obtained by rivets 35 which fasten together the base ange 32 of bracket 3l and the web 20 of the bottom longitudinal member. Where the car underframe includes the side sill, as preferred, the remaining underframe attaching brackets are so arranged as to provide an attachment between the side wall structure and the underlframe of requisite strength while utilizing a minimum number of brackets.

The connection between the side wall structure and the car end is illustrated in Figure 9 of the drawings. As illustrated the preferred connection is obtained by means of an angle member 82, one ange 83 of which is secured to a metallic panel 6I and the flange 84 of a corner post 85.

SARCH RQQW tudinal member is coped as indicated at 88 where 5 said ange extends across the door opening 90 formed in the side wall. It will be observed that the coping is relatively small so as not to detract materially from the strength of the bottom longitudinal member. Except at the posts l Where the shelves 58 support the car floor the bottom longitudinal member is utilized for this purpose.

In view of the disclosed invention, it will be clear that a side wall structure is provided which 1 will be standard irrespective of variations in width of underframe, longitudinal spacing of cross members and inside width of car. Such standard construction is unaffected by these factors. Variations in width of underframe and in- 2 side width of car are readily provided for by the horizontal dimensions of the brackets utilized to secure the side wall to the car underframe. By virtue ci' the described invention the posts may be equi-distantly spaced so that metallic 2 panels of equal Width may be utilized unalected by the longitudinal spacing of the cross members or their attachment to the side sills. Material economy in construction is thereby secured. A reduction in the number of the underframe attaching brackets is obtained and labor and overhead are materially reduced. The bottom longitudinal member may be maintained at a uniform width irrespective of the inside width of the car. Moreover, this member may now be formed of a structural shape. Essential connections between the various elements of the side Wall structure are accomplished by rivets in shear. The bottom longitudinal member is a stress carrying member transmitting the loads imposed upon the posts to the underframe through the connecting brackets. The bottom longitudinal member functions additionally as a reinforcement for the underframe.

It will be apparent that numerous changes and modifications in the details of the invention will be clear to those skilled in the art. It. is intended, therefore, that all such modifications and changes be comprehended within this invention, which is to be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

1. A railway house car comprising a metallic underirame and a side wall, said side wall including a. metallic side plate, metallic door and intermediate posts secured at their upper ends to said side plate, a metallic bottom stress transmitting member extending substantially from end to end of the car, brackets securing said posts to said bottom member and metallic sheathing secured to said posts. side plate and bottom member, said side wall being spaced outwardly of said car underframe and means secured to said bottom member for fastening said side wall to said underframe, said intermediate post brackets having inwardly directed shelves adapted to support the door of said car at said intermediate posts.

2. A load carrying side wall construction for railway house cars comprising a metallic side plate extending from end to end of said wall, a metallic bottom stress vtransmitting member extending from end to end of said wall, metallic door and intermediate posts extending between said side plate and bottom member, metallic sheathing secured to said posts, side plate and bttom member, means securing said posts to said side plate, means securing said posts to said bottom member so that stress imposed on said posts will be transmitted to said bottom member, said sidea-wall being incorporated in a house car in outwardly spaced relation to the underframe of said car and means carried by said bottom member and spaced longitudinally from said intermediate posts for fastening said side wall to said underframe and transmitting the stress on said bottom member to said underframe.

3. A load carrying side wall construction for railway house cars comprising a metallic side plate extending from end to end of said wall, a metallic bottom stress :transmitting member extending from end to end of said wall, equi-distantly spaced metallic door and intermediate posts extending between said side plate and bottom member, metallic sheathing comprising a plurality of panels of the same width secured to said posts, side plate and bottom member, means securing said posts to said side plate, means securing said posts to said bottom member so that stress imposed on said posts will be transmitted to said bottom member, said side wall being incorporated in a house car in spaced relation to the underframe of said car and means carried by said bottom member and spaced longitudinally from said intermediate posts for fastening said side wall to said underframe and transmitting the stress on said bottom member to said underframe.

4. A railway house car comprising a metallic underframe and a side wall, said side wall including a metallic side plate, metallic door and intermediate posts secured at their upper ends to said side plate, a substantially Z-shaped metallic stress transmitting bottom member extending substantially from end to end of the car and disposed so that its flanges extend respectively upwardly and downwardly from its web, brackets securing the lower ends of said posts to said bottom member, said brackets having downwardly directed anges positioned between said downwardly extending flange of said bottom member and said underframe and secured to said down* wardly extending flange and upwardly directed flanges secured to said posts above the web of said bottom member, and metallic sheathing secured to said posts, bottom member and side plate, said side wall being spaced outwardly of said underframe and means fastened to said bottom member and securing said side wall to said underframe.

5. A load carrying side Wall construction which is standard for railway house cars irrespective of variations in inside width of said cars, said side wall comprising a metallic side plate, metallic door and intermediate posts, a metallic bottom stress transmitting member extending substantially from end to end of the car, means securing the upper ends of said posts to said side plate, means securing the lower ends of said posts to said bottom member, metallic sheathing secured to said posts, side plate and bottom member and stress transmitting brackets fastened to said bottom member in longitudinal spaced relation to said intermediate posts and adapted to be secured to the car underframe to locate said side wall relative to said underframe in order to obtain the desired inside width of car.

6. A load carrying side wall construction which is standard for railway house cars irrespective of variations in inside width of said cars, said side wall comprising a metallic side plate, metallic door and intermediate posts, a metallic bottom stress transmitting member extending substantially from end tolend of the car, means securing the upper ends of said posts to said side plate, means securing the lower ends of said posts to said bottom member, metallic sheathing secured to said posts, side plate and bottom member and stress transmitting brackets fastened to said bottom member in longitudinally spaced relation to said intermediate posts and adapted to be secured to the car underframe to locate said side Wall relative .to said underframe in order to obtain the desired inside width of car, said bottom member being formed of a rolled structural shape irrespective of the inside wid-th of car.

'7. A load carrying side wail construction which is standard for railway house cars irrespective of variations in inside width of said cars, said side wall comprising a metallic side plate, metallic door and intermediate posts, a metallic bottom stress transmitting member extending substantially from end to end of the car, means securing the upper ends of said posts to said side plate, means securing the lower ends of said posts to said bottom member, metallic sheathing secured to said posts, side plate and bottom member, and stress transmitting brackets fastened to said bottom member in longitudinally spaced relation to said intermediate posts adapted to be secured to the car underframe and so dimensioned as to locate said side wall relative to said underframe in order to obtain the desired inside width of car, said bottom member being of a width which is substantially constant for all variations in the inside width of car.

8. A load carrying side wall construction which is standard for railway house cars irrespective of variations in inside width of said cars, said side wall comprising a metallic side plate, metallic door and intermediate posts, a metallic bottom stress transmitting member extending substantially from end to end of the car, means securing the upper ends of said posts to said side plate, means securing the lower ends of said posts to said bottom member, metallic sheathing secured to said posts, side plate and bottom member, and stress transmitting brackets fastened to said bottom member in longitudinally spaced relation to said intermediate posts adapted to be secured to the car underframe and so dimensioned as to locate said side wall relative to said underframe in order to obtain the desired inside wid-th of car, said bottom member being formed of a rolled structural shape whose width is substantially constant for varying inside widths of car.

9. A load carrying side wall construction which is standard for railway house cars of varying width of underframes, varying longitudinal spacing of cross members and varying inside width, said side wall comprising a metallic side plate, equi-distantly spaced metallic door and intermediate posts, a metallic bottom stress transmitting member extending substantially from end to end of the car, means securing the upper ends of said posts to said side plate, means securing the lower ends of said posts to said bottom member, metallic sheathing comprising a plurality of panels of substantially equal widths secured to said posts, side plate and bottom member, and stress transmitting brackets fastened to said bottom member in longitudinally spaced relation to said intermediate posts and adapted to be secured to said underframe and so dimensioned as to locate said side wall relative to said underframe in order to obtain the desired inside width of car.

10. In a side wall construction for railway house cars including a Z-bar side plate having an inner upwardly extending flange, an outer urn;

downwardly extending flange and a connecting web and spaced metallic posts, brackets rigidly securing said posts to said side plate, each of said brackets comprising a web disposed below said side plate web, iianges extending from said bracket web secured respectively `to said inner and outer side plate flanges and spaced vertical flanges depending from said bracket web on opposite sides of said posts and secured thereto.

l1. In a side wall construction for railway house cars including a Z-bar side plate having an inner upwardly extending flange, an outer downwardly extending flange and a connecting web and spaced metallic door and intermediate posts, said posts being Z-shaped in section, said door posts being arranged with their webs parallel to said wall and said intermediate posts being disposed with their webs at right angles to said wall, identical brackets rigidly securing said posts to said side plate, each of said brackets comprising iianges secured respectively to said inner and outer side plate iianges and depending iianges disposed on opposite sides of a ange of said door posts and the web of said intermediate posts and secured thereto.

12. In a side wall construction for railway house cars including a Z-bar side plate having an inner upwardly extending flange, an outer downwardly extending flange and a connecting web and spaced metallic posts, brackets rigidly securing said posts to said side plate, each of said brackets comprising a vertical iiange secured to said post substantially along the vertical axis of said post and flanges secured respectively to said inner and outer anges of said side plate, said latter bracket iianges being substantially equally distant from the axis of said post.

13. A railway house car comprising a metallic underframe, a. metallic side plate spaced outwardly of said underframe, metallic door and intermediate posts spaced outwardly of said underframe and secured at their upper ends to said side plate, ya metallic bottom stress transmitting member spaced outwardly of said underframe and extending substantially from end Ito end of the car, means securing the lower ends of said SEARCH R001# posts to said bottom member for transmitting stress from said posts to said bottom member, metallic sheathing secured to said posts, bottom member and side plate, said sheathing being spaced outwardly of said underframe and means spaced longitudinally from said intermediate posts securing said bottom member to said underframe for transmitting stress from said bottom member to said underframe.

14. A railway house car comprising a metallic underframe having a side sill extending continuously from end to end of said car, a metallic side plate spaced outwardly of said side sill, metallic door and intermediate posts spaced outwardly of said side sill and secured at their upper ends -to said side plate, a metallic bottom stress transmitting member spaced outwardly of said side sill and extending substantially from end to end of the car, means securing the lower ends of said posts to said bottom member for transmitting stress from said posts to said bottom member, metallic sheathing secured to said posts, bottom member and side platepr said sheathing being spaced outwardly of said side sill and means spaced longitudinally from said intermediate posts securing said bottom mainber to said side sill for transmitting stress thereto from said bottom member.

15. A load carrying side wall construction for railway house cars having an underframe comprising a metallic side plate extending from end to end of said wall, a metallic bottom stress transmitting member, metallic door and intermediate posts extending between said side plate and bottom member, metallic sheathing secured to said posts, side plate and bottom member, means securing said posts to said side plate, means securing said posts to said bottom member so ,that stress imposed on said posts will be transmitted to said bottom member, and a. plurality of means carried by said bottom member and spaced longitudinally :from said intermediate posts for fastening said side wall to said underframe and transmitting the stress on said bottom member to said underframe.

FRANK DITCHFIELD. 

